02/28/15- - CSC employees among 29 people arrested

By Steph Crosier, Kingston Whig Standard - Another Correctional Service Canada employee from Kingston and 28 other people from across the province have been charged by the Ontario Provincial Police following a 10-city, 16-month-long investigation called Project Batlow.

Christopher D'Cunha, 44, of Kingston has been charged by the OPP with possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.

A second Kingston person was charged in the OPP's operation. Andrea De Laat, 33, of Kingston has been charged by the OPP with conspiracy to traffic marijuana and possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking. De Laat's charges came out in court documents Thursday following a raid in Ottawa.

Blake Cook, 30, of Smiths Falls, who OPP allege is part of a Hells Angels Motorcycle Club support group, "13 Crew," was also charged with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, possession of steroids for the purpose of trafficking, and two counts of possession of proceeds of crime over $5,000.

The 29 suspects, including D'Cunha and De Laat, have been charged with more than 150 Criminal Code and Controlled Drug and Substances Act charges by police across Ontario.

Lynn Brunette, spokesperson for the CSC at its national headquarters in Ottawa, confirmed both D'Cunha and De Laat are CSC employees.

Kyle Lawlor, media relations spokesperson with CSC regional headquarters in Kingston, said CSC has launched its own investigation into De Laat and D'Cunha.

Lawlor said it would be inappropriate for further comment while the OPP are investigating, and would not clarify the positions De Laat and D'Cunha hold with the CSC.

"Due to the Privacy Act, the CSC cannot comment on specific cases of staff misconduct," Lawlor said in an email statement. "CSC employees are expected to act according to the highest legal and ethical standards and are subject to the same rules of professional conduct and code of discipline as stated by the Commissioner's Directive."

Project Batlow began in October 2013. Its focus was the alleged trafficking of large quantities of cocaine and marijuana by the Ontario Hells Angels Motorcycle Club and support club "13 Crew."